Nunn: New legislation to prevent habitual drunk driving

Habitual drunk drivers are a threat to responsible Iowans on the road. That’s why I was pleased to lead passage of legislation this week to toughen sentencing and mandate substance abuse treatment for people convicted of multiple OWI offenses.

Preventing drunken people from getting behind the wheel is the No. 1 way to reduce preventable traffic deaths. As the Iowa Department of Public Safety has reported, 20 percent of OWI deaths involve repeat offenders — a painful statistic for surviving family members. No one should be arrested three, four or more times and still be able to get behind the wheel and kill responsible Iowans.

Zach Nunn(Photo: Special to the Register)

Since 2017, when I was honored to receive the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Legislator of the Year award for collaborative work implementing ignition interlock and 24/7 sobriety programs in our state, I’ve heard tragic stories of preventable traffic deaths due to OWI. This bill is one part of a concerted effort to make Iowa a safer place to drive, work and raise a family.

Additionally, mandating substance abuse treatment and tougher sentences for habitual offenders is one step in the right direction toward making Iowa’s roadways safer and working toward the goal of zero traffic fatalities.

Improving Iowa’s animal abuse laws: Iowa is a proud agricultural and livestock state, but that’s no excuse for people to torture or abuse pets. Advancing companion animal protections in Iowa in a way that both benefits furry friends while also making sure Iowa’s livestock farmers aren’t unduly inhibited from feeding the world can be difficult. I am confident that the bill I supported this week is a common-sense, win-win for animals and Iowa agriculture alike.

The bill we passed creates two new criminal offenses: animal abandonment and animal endangerment. Each new offense includes an “enhanced penalty,” for anyone previously convicted of an offense included in the bill, as well as if they’ve injured or interfered with a police dog, committed bestiality or been involved with an unlawful animal contest.

Well-written animal abuse laws can add legitimacy to our state’s historic industries by boosting public confidence in the ethical treatment of Iowa livestock — while also making sure people who treat animals cruelly are punished accordingly.

Senator Zach Nunn, R-Bondurant, welcomed pastor Trevor Pinegar from Federated Church in Bondurant to the Iowa Senate on Thursday afternoon, where he opened the Senate with a prayer. Senate Page Jackson Birdwell from Altoona led the Pledge of Allegiance.(Photo: Special to the Register)

Community safety and Second Amendment rights: The balance between keeping the Iowa community safe and protecting Second Amendment rights does not have to be zero sum, as some pundits argue. This week, the Legislature took an important step toward ensuring Iowa’s constitution reflects the “right to bear arms” principle enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.

Our state has a strong gun-ownership rate compared to the rest of the U.S., but a firearm death rate about 28 percent below the national average, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Our rural gun owners and sportsmen across the state represent the majority of gun owners in Iowa. Sadly, most gun deaths in those areas are due to suicide, not interpersonal violence or attacks. The same trend holds statewide. There were 288 gun-related deaths in Iowa in 2016 — and 228 (about 80 percent) were suicides, according to CDC Wonder data. That’s one big reason why it is a far more pragmatic, long-run safety solution to support bipartisan efforts to expand mental health treatment and crisis access centers across the state, with a special emphasis on rural communities. We passed historic mental health legislation last year, and are now providing additional funding for adult and childhood mental health.

Responsible firearm ownership has been a bedrock principle of life in rural Iowa for years. The numbers speak for themselves: attempting to improve Iowans’ mental health by restricting Iowa’s rural traditions and constitutional protections is a misguided approach — and certainly not the best way to ensure safer communities and mentally healthier Iowans.

Going forward, I’ll continue to work in a bipartisan fashion on legislation to prevent gun deaths and violence in our state. That means collaborating to expand mental health access and treatment centers, which will actually put Iowa on a path towards long run, sustainable solution to fewer gun-related deaths.

Additionally, I’ve been proud to lead bipartisan legislation ensuring habitual domestic abusers— who are statistically far more likely to commit further acts of violence, including gun crime— remain in prison, and that abuse survivors receive adequate information and protections throughout the justice process.

STATE SEN. ZACH NUNN, R-Bondurant, represents Senate District 15, which includes most of Jasper County and parts of eastern Polk County, including Altoona, Bondurant, Mitchellville and Runnells. He can be reached at 515-519-2246 or zach.nunn@legis.iowa.gov.